Justin Henry
Chief Operating Officer , Panhandle Homes of Berkeley County ; Manager , Panhandle Builders & Excavating , Inc .; and Broker , Panhandle Real Estate Group , Inc .
NATALIA ANASTASOVSKI TRACY A . TOLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Growing up in a family business , Justin Henry was exposed to the value of hard work , optimism and dedication before he was able to walk .
The year before Henry was born , his father and uncle launched Panhandle Builders & Excavating , Inc . Going to job sites in his early years and watching his parents work tirelessly during the business ’ infancy , Henry understood the importance of working hard to achieve goals and grow a successful business .
Growing up surrounded by love and support from his parents , grandparents and other family members helped lead Henry to where he is today in his roles as chief operating officer for Panhandle Homes of Berkeley County , manager for Panhandle Builders & Excavating Inc . and broker at Panhandle Real Estate Group , Inc .
“ I will be forever grateful for the way in which I was raised and to all the people that were a part of it ,” says Henry . “ Hard work was always expected , as well as being kind and respectful .”
Henry attributes much of his success to the influence his father had on him . While never pressuring him to follow in his footsteps , Henry ’ s father led by example — exposing him to all that goes into running a business and maintaining an optimistic outlook .
“ I knew I always wanted to be a part of the business and expand and grow what my family had already done so well at ,” says Henry .
Although Henry had been on the job for many years prior , he still remembers his official hire date at the family business — April 4 , 2002 — right after he turned 15 . He went on to get his first professional job with the family business right out of college , working in business development and assisting in managing income producing properties for Panhandle Builders & Excavating .
Today , he is working on developing land projects for Panhandle Homes of Berkeley County and other builders , both residential and commercial , with a focus on building a stronger community . Working in a family business , there is a lot of overlap , and Henry describes his position as often doing whatever is needed wherever it is needed . Primarily , though , most of Henry ’ s job consists of operating the homebuilding division of the company that currently has a focus on building villa and ranch style homes .
“ What I enjoy most about what I am currently doing is seeing the joy and relief we bring to a retiree that maybe had an older home or had a lot of property to take care of ,” says Henry . “ I love being able to bring value to a situation and project .”
Henry ’ s value is not limited to his work , though , as he is an outstanding community member who gives back in a multitude of ways . He serves the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce on the board of directors and the executive committee , while also holding the title of treasurer . In 2022 , he is set to serve as vice chairman of the board . In addition , Henry also serves on the board of directors for the WVU Hospitals East Foundation and chairman of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee and COVID-19 Reopening Committee for Harmony United Methodist Church .
Henry has a soft spot for children when it comes to his community service , which is reflected in his role as a former board member for the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle and food drive organizer for Kidz Power Pacs and his support of many other youth-oriented programs and organizations .
Despite all his extraordinary accomplishments , Henry considers his greatest success to be finding balance in work , family and faith . His strong family values and faith in God have kept him motivated and driven to continue creating a flourishing and caring community .
“ West Virginia is home ,” he says . “ For that reason , I want to create more opportunities for others .” •
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ?
SPORT TEAM : WVU Mountaineers
SMELL : Fall air in the mountains
APP : Welcome to Berkeley County
CAR : Camaro
Henry inside Bahnhof , a German-inspired restaurant and Biergarten in Huntington , WV .
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